The present invention relates to massage units and massage machine of the chair type which comprise therapeutic fingers for massaging the affected part of the user to be treated.
Various massage machines or devices are known for pressing or stimulating the shoulders, waist or other parts of the human body to remove stiffness. According to the type, such devices can be divided into the chair type, bed type and handy type. With respect to the mode of action on the affected part, these devices resort to finger pressure, vibrations or electrical stimulation.
FIG. 13 shows a massage machine 90 of the chair type which is especially in wide use among other massage devices. The machine 90 comprises a chair 91 for the person to be massaged (hereinafter referred to as the xe2x80x9cuserxe2x80x9d), and a pair of therapeutic fingers 95, 95 projecting forward from the backrest 92 of the chair. Each of the finger 95 comprises an arm 93 coupled to a motor (not shown) for driving the finger, and a contact portion 94 provided at the forward end of the arm 93 and adapted to be brought into contact with the affected part of the user. When the motor is driven, the therapeutic fingers 95, 95 perform a tapping operation vertically of the machine or a lateral kneading operation to massage the user.
Although adapted to massage the posterior part of the user""s shoulder and the back, the massage machine thus constructed is unable to massage the upper part or the upper to frontal part of the shoulder.
Furthermore, the massage machine continually massages a particular portion of the affected part, so that if the machine is used for a prolonged period of time, the affected part will feel painful or becomes insensitive, or the user is likely to become tired of massage.
The massage machine acts on the user by pressing the affected part from behind, so that if used continuously, the upper part of the user""s body is gradually pushed forward, failing to remain in position stably. Thus, the machine is unable to produce a satisfactory massage effect.
Additionally, when the machine is used for massaging the affected part of the user, especially the back or the waist, it is impossible to alter the area of the pressing contact of the therapeutic finger contact portion 94 with the user""s body. In other words, the pressing force to be applied locally by the contact portion can not be increased or decreased to give the desired intensity.
An object of the present invention is to provide a chair-type massage machine and massage unit which are adapted to give a wide variety of massage operations.
Another object of the invention is to provide a massage machine of the chair type for applying a pressing force concentrically or dividedly so as to massage the user with the desired intensity.
The present invention provides a massage machine of the chair type comprising a massage unit disposed in a backrest of a massage chair. The massage unit has a pair of therapeutic fingers arranged one above the other and projecting forward from the backrest. Each of the fingers comprises an arm, and a contact portion provided at a forward end of the arm. The arms are coupled each at a base end thereof to respective finger drive means to render the therapeutic fingers individually pivotally movable in a vertical plane. The contact portion at the forward end of the upper therapeutic finger is movable to a position permitting the contact portion to reach the upper part or the upper to frontal part of the shoulder of the user as seated in the chair.
The invention further provides a massage unit comprising a first therapeutic finger for giving tapping massage to the upper part or the upper part to frontal part of the shoulder of the user, and a second therapeutic finger for giving tapping massage to the back or the back to the posterior part of the shoulder of the user. Each of the fingers comprises an arm and a contact portion provided at a forward end of the arm. The arms are coupled to respective finger drive means and pivotally moved and stopped by these means independently of each other.
The first finger drive means and the second finger drive means can be a first finger drive motor and a second finger drive motor, respectively, which are operable independently of each other. Tapping massage can be given to the affected part of the user by one of the first and second therapeutic fingers by holding one of the first and second finger drive motors at rest with the contact portion in contact with the affected part and driving the other finger drive motor alone forward and reversely repeatedly.
The invention further provides a massage machine of the chair type comprising two massage units arranged side by side in a backrest of a chair, each of the massage units comprising a pair of upper and lower therapeutic fingers each including an arm projecting forward from the backrest and a contact portion provided at a forward end of the arm for giving massage in contact with the affected part of the user. Each massage unit further comprises a finger drive assembly for moving the upper and lower contact portions toward and away from each other. The two massage units are coupled to a drive portion for moving the units sideways toward and away from each other. Thus, the massage units can be reciprocatingly moved sideways with the upper and lower contact portions held in contact with each other or spaced apart.
The invention further provides a massage machine of the chair type comprising a massage unit in a backrest of a chair, the massage unit comprising a pair of upper and lower therapeutic fingers each including an arm projecting forward from the backrest and a contact portion provided at a forward end of the arm for giving massage in contact with the affected part of the user, the massage unit further comprising a finger drive assembly coupled to base ends of the arms for moving the upper and lower contact portions toward and away from each other. The massage unit is coupled to a lift mechanism disposed in the backrest and movable upward and downward inside the backrest. The lift mechanism moves the massage unit upward and downward with the contact portions held in contact with each other or spaced apart by the finger drive assembly.